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Recent incidents and outbreaks

On 23 March 2015, it was one year since WHO confirmed Ebola cases for the first time in Guinea. This was the start of an extensive outbreak which subsequently spread to several countries in West Africa and beyond, and which is not yet under control.

On 29 December 2014, the UK reported its first imported case of EVD in a healthcare worker returning from Sierra Leone.

On 5 October 2014, the Ministry of Health in Uganda reported that a case of Marburg virus disease had been confirmed in Kampala. No further cases were confirmed, and WHO declared the country free of Marburg on 13 November 2014.

On 27 August 2014, WHO announced a new Ebola outbreak in Equateur Province, north western Democratic Republic of Congo. This is unrelated to the West African outbreak. A total of 66 cases were reported, and WHO declared the outbreak to be over on 21 November 2014.

This was the first time an outbreak had been diagnosed in this part of Africa. The outbreak has spread to neighbouring and nearby countries, particularly Liberia and Sierra Leone, and is now the largest known outbreak of this disease.

Map of current outbreak

Guinea

This was the first country affected in the current outbreak and much of the country has been affected since March 2014. Transmission is not currently occurring in all areas, but Conakry, Coyah and Forecariah in particular report persistent disease activity.

Liberia

Cases were first confirmed in northern Liberia on 30 March 2014 following exposure in Guinea, and subsequently with extensive local transmission. All areas of the country had reported cases, but case incidence has dramatically declined in 2015.

Mali

On 23 October 2014, Mali reported a single imported case of Ebola in a child who had travelled from Guinea. No further cases occurred amongst contacts.

On 12 November 2014, Mali reported a second case imported from Guinea, and a cluster of cases was subsequently identified in Bamako, the capital. This imported case was reclassified by WHO as a Guinea case.

Seven contacts have so far developed Ebola, bringing the total number of cases in Mali to 8. The last case was reported on 25 November 2014 and has since tested negative on 2 occasions. All contacts completed 21 days of follow-up.

Nigeria

Nigeria reported 20 cases in Lagos and Port Harcourt, following an initial importation from Liberia. WHO declared Nigeria to be Ebola free on 20 October 2014.

Senegal

Senegal announced a single case imported from Guinea on 29 August 2014. WHO declared that Senegal was free of Ebola on 17 October 2014.

Spain

On 6 October 2014, Spain reported a confirmed case in a healthcare worker WHO had been involved in the care of patients repatriated from West Africa. WHO reported that the outbreak in Spain was over on 2 December 2014.

United Kingdom

On 29 December 2014, a laboratory-confirmed case of EVD was reported in Scotland. This was the first EVD case to be detected in the UK. The patient was a healthcare worker who had returned from Sierra Leone where they had been working in an Ebola treatment centre. They recovered and the UK was declared free of EVD on 7 March 2015.

United States

A single case was confirmed to have been imported from Liberia into Dallas, Texas on 30 September 2014. Transmission of Ebola virus disease to a healthcare worker was confirmed on 12 October 2014, and to a second healthcare worker on 15 October 2014. Ebola was confirmed in a humanitarian aid worker who returned from Guinea on 23 October 2014.

Historic map of outbreaks

This map includes all cases and outbreaks of Ebola or Marburg documented to 31 December 2014.